GCSE pupils are top of the class (Birmingham Mail, Birmingham Post) Months of waiting will be finally over today as school pupils across Birmingham open their GCSE results.

Troubleshooter has new plan for children’s services (Birmingham Post) Interview with Cllr Matt Bennett who is spearheading improvements to children’s social care at Birmingham City Council.

End of line for museum (Birmingham Mail) Birmingham’s historic road transport museum looks set to close at the end of the year after failing in a bid to buy its Victorian tram shed home from the city council.

‘Parents’ encourage gang of vandals (Birmingham Mail) A gang of young boys seemingly amazingly egged on by their parents smashed a Victorian viewing platform used by Joseph Chamberlain causing at least £50,000 damage.Cllr Martin Mullaney said he was ‘sickened’ by the attack at Highbury Park.

Last-ditch bid to save city nursery (Birmingham Mail) Devastated parents have staged a last-ditch attempt to halt the closure of Merrishaw Nursery in West Heath.

Planning crackdown as man jailed for extension (Birmingham Post) A man who extended his home without permission has become the first person in Birmingham to be sent to prison after ignoring planning regulations.

‘Unfair’ contract for new city library probed by council (Birmingham Post) A high level review has begun into the way a city council contract to install fibre optic cable in Birmingham’s new civic library was awarded to Capita.

Signpost slalom throws city cycle lane off course (Birmingham Post) Cyclists and pedestrians using a new road in Birmingham face a few teething troubles after its newest section was opened.

Regional Headlines

Food bank sees 45% rise in demand
The founder of a charity which provides free food to vulnerable people says it has seen demand almost double compared to last year.

National Headlines

GCSE students poised for results
About 750,000 pupils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are due to find out their GCSE results, with another year of record scores likely.

Police ‘could have stopped riots’
Better preparation by and leadership from senior police in Tottenham could have prevented the riots which erupted there and were copied across England, a retired deputy assistant commissioner tells the BBC.

Riot summit for social networks
The home secretary will meet senior police officers and executives from the major social networks later to discuss the recent riots across England.